Team Joyce meet showjumping super star Sharn Wordley

Team Joyce are on holidays at the moment travelling around the US. During our venture we stumbled across a massive $70,000 Grand Prix held under lights at the very famous Tyron International Equestrian Centre. Our good friends Rob & Julie Kelso encouraged us to go before we left. Actually it was this couple who generously offered so much worldly advice many months leading up to our departure, even now while away Wes and I could not have been so well prepared if it was not for their interest in our journey. Thank you Rob & Julie xx A major highlight so far would have to be rubbing shoulders with a very famous New Zealand showjumper Sharn Wordley. He has two properties , one in Wellington Florida another in Lexington Kentucky.

Team Joyce meet showjumping super star Sharn Wordley

Did you know the Tyron International Equestrian Centre is where the World Equestrian Games will be held in September this year? Wes wanted to visit the venue for himself to see how the constructions were coming along. Most people have seen or been to Boneo Park right ‘ well this facility is 10 times Boneo. It is jaw dropping amazing. They have got absolutely everything covered from entertainment – competitions of ALL levels & disciplines plus looking after you and your horse/horses. I took video footage and still pictures of as much as I possibly could show casing this property.

Tyron International Equestrian Centre is 10 times Boneo Park

Click to enlarge all pictures 🙂

The grand entrance to TIEC

Grand horse statue at entrance

Fully stocked Dover store

The silo bar to sit & drink

Wes was in awe of the facility

The WEG Art Horse honours the multidisciplinary nature of the FEI WEG

The WEG Art Horse

The WEG Art Horse

Not short of a well branded store

So many full time Equine stores with fashion & jewelry

NO entry charges at the gate – FREE entertainment all night

On arrival you are greeted by many volunteers making sure you feel comfortable, given a map and information on the day / & or nights action. This is a genuine family affair with so many activities for the children of all ages. Jugglers, face painters , bubble blowers they can ride on the pony jumping castle or jump over the high jumps. ALL FREE may I add. No entry charges at the gate they want you to come.

It is truly amazing

Not only are the public looked after but so are the horses and riders. The creature comforts are endless. Every stable has a lockable trunk in the front, seating and shade everywhere. Undercover horse bays, paved or sandy paths with shade roofs while waiting to go into the arenas. Special grassed picking areas for you to casually take your horse for a stroll. Judges, stewards, photographers & cameramen / women work in style sitting in a covered booth -box. Every arena has tables and chairs to observe in style. There is even a hammock area near the Silo Bar to lay back shut your eyes to have 40 winks.

Every stable is equipped with lockable trunks

Special grass areas for riders to take horses for a pick

Loved this Diner the food was excellent

Our traveling camper parked near the indoors

Fabulous experience in the Legends Bar

Beautiful Venetian carousel for ALL ages no limit to how many rides

Just one of the fine sculptures around the venue

Not quite sure what these were for maybe your bicycle but we did not see anybody ride one

Everybody could sit relax in a numerous amount of places

So many places for everybody to sit relax in the shade

We purchased dinner tickets in the Legends Bar which gave us prime position under cover view ring side. It was FREE to sit in the main grandstand the choice is yours. This was our treat being on holidays. Dinner started at 6pm with all food drinks included all night until 1 hour after the class had finished. Then the good ol Karaoke started about 11pm. Getting back to how amazing it was to chat with Sharn & Lauren.

Sharn won the $30,000 Welcome Stakes Thursday night riding Barnetta

Wes & I were fortunate to go back and chat with Sharn & Lauren in the stable block. The FEI block was off limits to the public, they had carted many horses for this 5 day show. Lauren is also a very well known talented rider, these two make a perfect pair. She makes sure he is on time and well organised for everything before during and after the shows. This couple are so friendly warm and inviting, they made us feel so welcome. Wes & I admired their performance horses such stunning well presented animals standing so quietly very close the fans.

Lauren Balcomb with one of her favs Verdini D’Houtveld Z

Lucky to watch Sharn warm up Barnetta in the FEI warm up arena

Wes and I were able to stay behind and watch Sharn school Barentta over a few small obstacles in preparation for the Grand Prix starting at 8pm. After that we quickly made our way to the main arena to walk the course. Enjoy the video footage of Sharn in the FEI warm up arena closely observed by the FEI steward.

Wes & Sharn in the stable complex

Sharn Wordley logo

Barnetta the champion

They even titles our table Joyce

The food was absolutely amazing and no limits on portions

We waited patiently for number 9 to appear and suddenly 10 walks into the arena. Wes straight away says’,’ Bet he lost a shoe ! “. He was right on the mark – Sharn rang afterwards to express how stressful it was moments before their turn to jump. They entered the arena at number 15 so not long after. It was a pleasure to watch this combination cruise around the huge obstacles standing at 1.45m-1.50m.

Barnetta was so calm and clean until the third last fence just tapped it to result in 4 faults. There were four clean rounds out of the 23 horses. Eastern Jam KWPN 2009 Gelding , Lexicon x Salana ridden by Hunter Holloway from Topeka , Kansas USA took the grand prize of $70,000. Her smile was so wide she rode to win ! It was a very exciting jump off. Sorry for the blurry pic 🙁

Hunter & Eastern Jam

Thank you so very much Sharn & Lauren for making time to talk with us. We hope to cross paths again someday. If you are ever in Australia come and visit our door is open.Good luck for the WEG this year when you return with Barnetta the champion.

Sharn & Lauren drove themselves out that night back to Kentucky , ( horses are driven back by grooms etc to Florida ) then off the next morning to catch a plane to Vancouver where Casper his number 1 horse has been flown to. On Sunday they will compete in the $230,000 CSIO5* Longines Grand Prix 238.2.2 at Thunderbird Show Park. We wish them all the very best.

I nearly forgot to show you the hammocks

Hammocks for a bit of shut eye

I even quickly went over to the other site where the construction is taking place of buidling the 3 huge indoor arenas. Here is a video snipet of what I saw.